Where to start a practice?

[Imanee]

---

Members don't see this ad.

Hi everyone!
I was reading the NJ thread about dentist saturation and started thinking, what exactly are good areas to start a practice? I know everyone always says to stay away from big cities like Los Angeles, San Francisco, Philadelphia, etc. So, if you seek to start a practice in a less saturated area, would it be best to be a general dentist vs. a specialist? Any thoughts on location and gen. dentist vs. specialist is appreciated. Thanks everyone.😀

 

[atlanta478]

Few weeks ago someone mention Harvey, North Dakota as a great place to start practice (GP or specialty). You may even qualify for the Student Loan Repayment Program.

 

[JamesOSU]

Anywhere in Montana, the Dakotas, Kansas, Wyoming, Alaska... but who wants to live in those places?

 

[HupHolland]

Basically, any place that is growing or is underserved is a good place to start a practice. However, any dental office can thrive if set up and run properly.

When I'm ready to set up shop, I definitely won't be settling on a location just because it is growing and/or underserved. I'll choose a location based on how much I like the area in addition to the above. There is no point in setting up if you hate the area.

Another thing you may consider, if you're set on living in a big city: reverse commute. Live in the city and commute out of town for work. The commute is definitely more manageable and the average income of a dentist in a small town is higher than that in a large city. There are practice management surveys out there that state this.

Hup

 

[DrReo]

Anywhere in Montana, the Dakotas, Kansas, Wyoming, Alaska... but who wants to live in those places?

FYI: -38F windchill in the AM 😀

 

[DrReo]

Basically, any place that is growing or is underserved is a good place to start a practice. However, any dental office can thrive if set up and run properly.

When I'm ready to set up shop, I definitely won't be settling on a location just because it is growing and/or underserved. I'll choose a location based on how much I like the area in addition to the above. There is no point in setting up if you hate the area.

Another thing you may consider, if you're set on living in a big city: reverse commute. Live in the city and commute out of town for work. The commute is definitely more manageable and the average income of a dentist in a small town is higher than that in a large city. There are practice management surveys out there that state this.

Hup

👍👍

Hup, you're a realist. Enjoy your comments.